First impressions: I liked this powder quite a bit in the beginning, so much so that I repurchased it more than once. The product itself gives a flawless finish, never seems to look cakey and does a great job of hiding imperfections.

Packaging: Leaves something to be desired. Clumsy design (like working with a Transformer) in a dull beige color.

Experience: However, it also contributed to the overall decline of my skin & clogged my pores. I'm 24 and hadn't struggled with acne since 8th grade but, for the last 6 months, I found myself dealing with aggressive break outs on my cheeks and chin. For the life of me I couldn't figure out what was causing my acne. Not only was my skin red and irritated, I was also getting tiny bumps all over that I couldn't get rid of. My pores were looking bigger and bigger, also something I'd never dealt with.

I ended up changing my skincare regimen, experimenting with masks/at home treatments, taking new vitamins & changing my foundation to no avail. My acne would improve very slightly but then I would get those tiny bumps all over my cheeks & bigger clusters of acne in the same spots on my face. I don't know why it took me so long to realize that is was my POWDER and not my liquid foundation that was the culprit. I bought an acne clearing system which seemed to work but was still using this powder & my pimples kept coming back, many times worse than before. Only a week ago I realized that the Maybelline Dream Matte Powder was making me break out like crazy!

I immediately stopped using it and invested in a mineral powder and like magic my skin began to clear up in one day...Clearly, it was my fault for not realizing that this powder was wreaking havoc on my face...but I didn't think I was using enough for it to make such a huge impact on my skin. I hope this review helps those of you struggling like I've been. In a weeks time, my skin looks better than it has in 6 months and I'm much more aware now of what goes on my face as well as the ingredients.

If you're like me and don't wear a ton of makeup on a daily basis, chances are your powder is going to expire before you put a major dent in it. So, just as a friendly reminder, TOSS your powder if you know you've had it for too long. Its better to invest in a new compact than mess up your skin!

Ok, off my soapbox now. I wanted to share my personal experience in case anyone else was using this powder thinking it gave great coverage meanwhile fighting unexplainable break outs because I was in the dark for quite some time myself.

Bottom line: This powder contains talc and greatly clogs pores which is a no no for anyone but especially those of us with sensitive or acne prone skin! I still gave it a rating of 2 because at first it DID give a nice finish and covered my imperfections (before I realized it was causing them).